What does greedy mean?
Greedy describes a lack of restraint in wanting wealth, food, power, attention, or some other advantage. The word normally carries a negative moral judgment: a greedy person takes more than is fair or needed and is unwilling to share. It can also describe institutions, companies, and systems that pursue gain or control without regard for fairness or consequences. In computer science, a greedy algorithm follows the choice that appears most advantageous at each stage rather than considering every possible sequence of choices. Although greedy has become closely associated with excessive acquisition, its history begins more literally with hunger and appetite. The word is useful because it captures not merely wanting something, but wanting an excessive or uncontrolled amount of it. Its strong negative connotation makes it especially effective in discussion of ethics, business, resources, and personal conduct.
adjectiveHaving or showing an excessive or unreasonable desire for more than one needs, especially wealth, food, power, or other possessions.
- Having an excessive or unreasonable desire for wealth, possessions, food, power, or other advantages.
- Wanting more of a resource or benefit than is fair, reasonable, or sustainable.
- Making choices designed to maximize immediate gain without considering longer-term consequences, as in computing.
"Her ambition was admirable, but her greedy pursuit of wealth cost her family dearly."
"The children were greedy for attention, interrupting whenever their mother paused to speak."
"A greedy algorithm can produce an efficient immediate result while missing the globally optimal solution."
Once simply a word for hunger and voracity, greedy grew into a moral accusation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does greedy come from?
Greedy developed from the Old English adjective grǣdig, whose earliest senses included “hungry” or “ravenous,” before it came to mean excessively desirous of food or possessions. It continued through Middle English as greedy and is related to the noun greed. The same Germanic origin is reflected in cognates including German gierig, Dutch gierig, and Icelandic græðigr.
Related word forms
How greedy is actually used
Greedy is chiefly negative when describing a person's appetite, conduct, or motives. In technical writing, it is neutral when referring to a method that makes locally advantageous choices without considering the wider system.